


At your worst

by iamleavingthisfandom



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, You Have Been Warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 16:51:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9334133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamleavingthisfandom/pseuds/iamleavingthisfandom
Summary: Basically, Merlin is sick and Arthur is... right there with him where he needs to be. There isn't much here, just a tiny bit of love and fluff.





	

**Author's Note:**

> if this makes no sense to you, it's my writing style. This is an experiment at something fluffier and cuter than usual, so be aware. Initially I didn't even want to post it here,but something moved me to... For some reason. Okay, enough me talking.

“You truly do worry too much, Arthur,” half-smirked, half-sniffled Merlin from inside the giant cocoon of blankets his boyfriend had put him in as soon as he heard the first sneeze of the autumn season. 

“Just shut up and drink your tea,” Arthur said, rolling his eyes. The whole situation somehow made him feel both flustered and really warm inside. The good kind of warm, the kind that makes chilly winter nights tolerable, the kind that fills the air after a pleasant conversation and a nice cup of tea. Young Pendragon could never have anticipated that he would be compelled to act so selflessly in taking care of another, nor that he would ever find the domesticity in Merlin’s look when he is sick endearing, but there he was.

He looked over at the raven hair, which was pretty much the only thing visible from under all the blankets, and felt as if his heart was closing in on this exact moment in time and surrounding it with its all. It was cold and windy outside, and maybe he was being a tiny bit overprotective, and earlier that day he stepped into a puddle and the splash accidentally hit a tiny Labrador, and he felt he was being a jerk, so he apologised to it, but the owner of the puppy soon took him away from Arthur, who was frantically trying to give the dog his umbrella, and none of that made sense. But that moment right there made all kinds of sense and it was so casual and unimportant, but at the same time so perfect that it hurt. Arthur just looked at Merlin, trying to find something for his memory to cling onto, feeling the sweetness of the moment in his chest and ignoring the bitter realisation of its fleetness.

In a sudden burst of some tender feeling, he stood up from the chair he was sitting in and moved to the couch to place a kiss on Merlin’s forehead. He caught Merlin by surprise, and a gentle smile slowly bloomed on his lips, radiating enough warmth to heat up the whole room. 

“I’m going to get more biscuits, okay?” he asked quietly, overwhelmed by emotions and yet almost content. Merlin just nodded at him and sort of tried to catch Arthur’s shirt, probably to bring him down for a peck on the cheek. However, with one hand holding a teacup and another caught in an unreasonable number of blankets it proved nearly impossible, so he flipped his arms around helplessly for a bit. Arthur couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous display coming from one of the most skilled warlocks ever. Eventually, of course, he shook his head and bent down to press his lips to Merlin’s quickly, before stroking his cheek and walking away to the kitchen.

When Arthur walked back into the room, holding a small plate in one hand and a biscuit in another, he witnessed Merlin – with both his hands free – playing with a small dragon, seemingly consisting only of light. He leaned on the doorframe and watched with endearment, fascinated by the gold in his boyfriend’s eyes, by his magic, and by Merlin himself. As soon as he made his presence known, the dragon flew to him, as if controlled by Merlin’s hand, and landed on Pendragon’s shoulder, breathing something that felt soft and warm onto his cheek. Finally, Arthur sat next to Merlin on the couch and let the dragon fly into the middle of the room to burst into a hundred sparkles and then disappear completely. He put his arms around Merlin, locking them in spite of the blankets, and leaned back, cutting all the escape routes from cuddling for either of them. 

“Take a day off tomorrow. You need to rest sometime,” murmured Arthur, intercepting his words with kisses to Merlin’s hair and ear. 

“Only if you take the day off, too,” answered Merlin a bit sleepily, making Arthur chuckle.

“Fine.”

“Fine.”

They fell silent for a couple of minutes, listening to the sound of rain outside, and the hum of Arthur’s laptop. 

“Merlin?”

“Hmmm?”

“Love you.”

“Love you too, you idiot.”


End file.
